Empowering people with developmental disabilities

Andrew Sharick’s journey proves it can be done NEWTON — Andrew Sharick of Newton is one of the hundreds whose lives have been enhanced by SCARC’s staff, programs and services. Since he was 3 years old, Sharick, now 21, has been a part of the SCARC family. He was diagnosed at an early age with PDD/NOS (Pervasive Developmental Disability/Not Otherwise Specified), which is on the autistic spectrum. His parents Alice and Andy Sharick signed up for SCARC’s Respite services after learning of the organization and its programs and services that support those individuals and their families. From his first days with the program, Sharick grew as did the number of programs he took advantage of. At age five, he began attending the Blue Mountain Day Camp through SCARC’s Summer Camp Program. In doing so, he started building his socialization skills at an early age. Through the program, he took part in various recreational activities and learned to integrate his skills with campers without disabilities. A year later, Sharick began attending SCARC’s weekly “Just Us Kids” Respite program, which allowed him to continue to work on his socialization skills while enjoying recreational activities and making new friends. Over the next 12 years, Sharick saw the benefits of SCARC’s programs. During that time he successfully achieved his black belt in karate and served as a self-advocate at the 2005 ARC National Convention in San Diego. Continuing By age 18, having already made significant strides, Sharick was prepared to enter his senior year of high school. Receiving personalized services from a SCARC transition counselor throughout the year, he got a part-time filing job at Newton Motor Sports. Sharick worked at Newton Motor Sports for the next three years, while simultaneously taking classes at Sussex County Community College as a recipient of a New Jersey Student Assistance Reward Scholarship. When he graduated high school in 2007, the criteria for this scholarship was to be in the top 20 percent of the class in either one’s junior or senior year. To keep the scholarship, he had to maintain a 3.0 or better GPA each semester at college. The scholarship paid for his full tuition for five semesters. He was also inducted into the Psi Beta national honor society for psychology for community and junior colleges. Program officials attributed Sharick’s college success to the assistance of SCARC’s transition counselor; Dr. Kathleen Okay, director of the college’s learning center; his school district’s Child Study Team Case Manager; a representative from the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation (DVR) and his parents. Now a SCCC graduate, Sharick will continue his studies at Centenary College in Hackettstown, and will live on campus. “I think participating in SCARC activities has broadened my horizons,” said Sharick.